Prior to my coming to Utila, Mizpah Methodist Church had voted to be an organ donor. The church was in possession of two organs; one was to be given to a sister church on the neighboring island of Roatan.
The word went out to the men's fellowship on Thursday: Prepare the patient. After our evening meeting a few of us prepped the organ for transplant. The organ appeared stable.
I made the requisite calls to my colleague Rev. Duncan on Roatan. Yes, they could meet the Galaxy II (a.k.a., the yacht) on Monday evening. Securing the help of Taxi Hank we gently loaded her on the truck and took her down to the municipal wharf. I secured passage for her through Morgan's Travel. They recommended I personally supervise the transfer. I wouldn't have missed it for the world. (I find that few things happen here unless you're there personally to see it through.)
Finally the yacht arrived. The organ was prepped and waiting. Its time had finally come. (We'd had one failed transplant attempt when we never received word about another boat's arrival/departure.)
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The yacht, docked and ready for the waiting organ. |
| The organ, awaiting transport. She was to go in the ship's hold
but we wrapped her, just in case.
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First the offloading of cargo destined for Utila. The boat had docked in a different place than usual; Seventh Day Adventist pastor Steve McDaniel helped me carry the organ farther down the wharf. She was quickly whisked aboard and placed in the ship's hold bound for Roatan via La Ceiba.
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Arriving cargo from Roatan and La Ceiba is offloaded. |
| The organ disappears quickly into the hold of the Galaxy II.
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I held my breath, wondering if the patient would make it. (I could fill a book with things I don't know about living here, including shipping things!) Sure enough, days later word came from Roatan via a church member... The recipient, Pandyville Methodist Church had received the organ and was doing fine. I breathed a sigh of relief at the successful completion of my first organ transplant.
